Last summer Velib made some helpful changes to their service! Amphibious bicycles for crossing the Seine?
No, not yet, but almost as good. They made it much easier to get an annual, weekly, and daily membership. I thought I'd say, "Thank you," and post a quick summary. They updated their website adding an English version and made it possible to purchase all of their subscriptions online with a credit card. So, for anyone without a European debit card with a chip in it, you can now pay for Velib online with your credit card.
The prices charged for the service went up a little bit, but still a bargain at €1.70 for access to Velib for 24 hours (30 minutes at a time), or €8.00 for a week (30 minutes at a time). Remember, if your trip is longer than 30 minutes you will still pay additional usage charges.
English telephone support will make it easier for tourists, should you ever encounter problems at the stations. And, best of all, for anyone planning a long visit to Paris, you can buy an annual subscription for €29 and pick up a "Velib' Express" card at any of the 20 city halls in Paris. The card makes using Velib' even more convenient, no more entering your long ID number and PIN at the kiosk, just hold it over the scanner for the bike you want, wait a few seconds for the light to turn green (why does it take so long?) and go! Read more!
